24 September 2025
From April by way of August the Metropolis of Pittsburgh’s overabundant deer inhabitants is mostly unafraid of the people they encounter in parks and greenways. In Schenley Park in August this buck in velvet merely checked out me as I stood shut sufficient to take a cellphone photograph.
This month he’s not seen in any respect.
In late September and early October, as deer hormones ramp up for the rut (mating season), does and fawns initially stay in matriarchal teams however they’re on the transfer, crossing streets and spreading into neighborhoods. The males journey alone, looking for does in estrus. [See City Deer in the Rut for more information.]
The Cathedral of Studying appears remoted to us, surrounded as it’s by vast streets and a giant garden however deer usually are not daunted by these obstacles. They cross Fifth Avenue to browse on bushes and flowers, leaving proof of their nocturnal go to in piles of scat (seen on 9 Sept).
Deer crossing the street (pictures by Starley Shelton by way of Flickr Inventive Commons license)
This group of seven crossed a variety of roads to finish up in a yard on Ellsworth Avenue.
Their swap from parks to neighborhoods exposes them to the risks of automobiles and canines whereas it takes them out of the town parks looking zones. The Metropolis of Pittsburgh Deer Administration Program, which started with archery hunts in Frick and Riverview in 2023-2024, expanded final 12 months to Highland, Riverview, and Emerald View, and expanded once more this 12 months to incorporate Hays Woods (yay!), McKinley Park, Hazelwood Greenway, Southside Park and Seldom Seen Greenway.
Archers for the 2025-2026 season have already been chosen and assigned their zones throughout the parks. Archery started Saturday, September 20, 2025.
I encourage you to find out about bow looking within the metropolis parks and greenways at WPXI: Deer administration program returns to Pittsburgh, expands to extra metropolis parks and TribLive: Managed deer hunt expands to 10 Pittsburgh parks; hunters goal overgrown herd.
For all the main points, click on on Metropolis of Pittsburgh Deer Administration Program or on the screenshot under.
In the meantime, be careful for deer crossing the street! Likelihood is method too excessive which can be you’ll hit a deer in PA throughout the rut in October/November. October is only one week away.
